There are Good Men

There are good men in the world. There's my father. He invests in the lives of his children, plays with his grandchildren, and talks to people at church--friends and visitors alike. There's my brothers. They work hard to support their families. They are good dads. There's my first boss who taught me how to work hard and how to lead in the work place by giving clear instruction and by doing the jobs that other people don't want to do. There are my elders who pray about my questions before providing clear, biblical instruction. 

There are good men in the world, and the ones who do the majority of day-to-day life with me are married to my friends. 

It is a great kindness of the Lord that we do not do life alone, and it is a great kindness that, in the church, we get to be family. My friend's husband is also my brother, and our relationship is that of healthy siblings. The faith-brothers in my life are protective and kind, they dish out and accept teasing, they do not make me feel or appear small or dumb or less-than--either in public or private. When we disagree they do it graciously and respectfully. When I need them, they are there. 

There is safety for the woman who marries a good man, but there is also safety for the single woman who is surrounded by good men. In the true family of God, there is protection for the biological sister and for the sister in Christ. God puts the solitary in a home (Psalm 68:6), and I am grateful that both my birth family and church family contain good men.